Vin Jin came in from the side. A green glint appeared in his eyes as he activated durability mastery. He threw a straight punch at Big Daniel's ribs. Big Daniel caught his wrist and twisted it. Vin Jin's muscles hardened and he resisted the twist. Big Daniel pulled him forward and drove his knee into Vin Jin's stomach. The hardened muscles absorbed most of the impact but the force still pushed Vin Jin back.
Big Daniel released Vin Jin's wrist and threw a hook at his temple. Vin Jin raised his arm and blocked it. The impact rattled through his hardened arm. Big Daniel followed with a straight punch to Vin Jin's face. Vin Jin leaned back and it grazed his chin. He grabbed Big Daniel's extended arm with both hands. A red glint appeared in his eyes as strength mastery activated. He pulled Big Daniel forward and drove his knee into Big Daniel's face.
Big Daniel's head snapped back. He pulled his arm free and grabbed Vin Jin's throat. He lifted Vin Jin off the ground and threw him down the corridor. Vin Jin's body tumbled across the floor. He rolled and came up on his hands and knees.
"Fucking bastard!" Vin Jin coughed.
Little Daniel moved in again. He threw a straight punch at Big Daniel's face. Big Daniel slipped it and grabbed Little Daniel's collar. He pulled Little Daniel close and threw a short hook at his ribs. The punch connected and Little Daniel felt his ribs compress. Big Daniel threw another hook to the same spot. Little Daniel's breathing became labored.
Vasco was still on one knee. His face was covered in blood. His breathing was ragged. He looked at Jihan lying unconscious, at Vin Jin struggling to get up, at Little Daniel being battered by his own body. He gritted his teeth and pushed himself to his feet. His legs shook but he stayed standing.
"I won't let you hurt my friends anymore," Vasco said. His eyes began to turn pale white. Runner's High was activating.
Big Daniel released Little Daniel and turned toward Vasco. Vasco's eyes completed their transformation. His entire body seemed to surge with power. He charged at Big Daniel with speed that hadn't been there before.
Vasco threw a punch that had twice the force of his earlier strikes. Big Daniel caught it but the impact pushed him back a full step. Vasco followed with a knee strike. "Brekdak's Forbidden Skill Number Five! Piercing The Intestines!"
The knee drove into Big Daniel's stomach with devastating force. Big Daniel slid backward several feet from the impact. Vasco pressed forward immediately. He threw a series of powerful strikes. Each one had his full enhanced strength behind it. Big Daniel blocked and deflected them but Vasco's speed was much faster now.
"Brekdak's Forbidden Skill Number Three! Compressed Low Kick!"
Vasco pulled his leg back as far as possible and threw it at Big Daniel's lead leg with maximum torque. Big Daniel lifted his knee to check it. The impact created a shockwave that cracked the floor beneath them. Both their legs shook from the force.
Big Daniel threw a straight punch at Vasco's face. Vasco slipped it and grabbed Big Daniel's extended arm. He pulled Big Daniel forward into a knee strike. The knee connected with Big Daniel's ribs. Big Daniel absorbed it and threw a hook at Vasco's temple with his free hand. Vasco ducked under it and drove another knee into Big Daniel's stomach.
Vin Jin was back on his feet. He saw Vasco pushing Big Daniel back and charged in to help. "About fucking time someone landed something!"
Little Daniel recovered and moved in as well. The three of them attacked together. Little Daniel threw a high kick while Vin Jin went low. Vasco came in from the side with a powerful straight punch. Big Daniel moved with mechanical precision. He caught Little Daniel's kick, stepped over Vin Jin's sweep, and blocked Vasco's punch with his forearm.
Big Daniel twisted Little Daniel's leg and threw him into Vin Jin. Both crashed to the ground. He grabbed Vasco's extended arm and pulled him into a headbutt. Their foreheads collided. Blood sprayed from Vasco's already broken nose but his pale white eyes showed no pain. He headbutted Big Daniel back. Big Daniel's head barely moved.
Big Daniel grabbed Vasco's head with both hands and drove his knee up repeatedly. Each knee connected with Vasco's face. Blood sprayed with each impact. Vasco grabbed Big Daniel's leg and tried to stop the knees but Big Daniel's strength was greater. He threw one more knee that caught Vasco square in the face. Vasco's eyes flickered. Runner's High was fading.
"Damn it," Vasco gasped. His legs buckled and he dropped to one knee.
Big Daniel raised his foot and brought it down on Vasco's head. Vasco's face hit the concrete. His pale white eyes returned to normal. His body went limp.
Vin Jin scrambled to his feet. "You piece of shit!" A red glint appeared in both his eyes. Strength mastery activated at full power. He charged at Big Daniel.
He grabbed Big Daniel around the waist and lifted him off the ground. Big Daniel brought both his fists down on Vin Jin's back. The blows hammered into Vin Jin's spine. Vin Jin kept his grip and drove Big Daniel into the wall. The wall cracked from the impact.
"How do you like that, asshole!" Vin Jin snarled.
Big Daniel grabbed Vin Jin's head and drove his knee up into Vin Jin's face. The knee connected with Vin Jin's jaw. Vin Jin's grip loosened. Big Daniel threw another knee. This one caught Vin Jin's nose. Blood exploded across both of them.
"Fuck!" Vin Jin's grip broke completely.
Big Daniel grabbed his shoulders and threw him down the corridor. Vin Jin's body rolled across the floor. He came to a stop and pushed himself up slowly. Blood dripped from his face. He raised his fists again. A green glint appeared in his eyes as durability mastery activated. His muscles hardened visibly.
Big Daniel walked toward him. Vin Jin threw a punch with everything he had left. Big Daniel caught it with his palm. Vin Jin threw his other fist. Big Daniel caught that one too. They stood gripping each other's fists. Vin Jin pushed forward with all his strength. Big Daniel pushed back. Neither gave ground initially.
"Come on, you fucking monster!" Vin Jin roared.
Then Big Daniel twisted both of Vin Jin's wrists. Even with hardened muscles, Vin Jin felt the pressure. Big Daniel twisted harder until both wrists dislocated with audible pops. Vin Jin's face contorted in pain but he didn't make a sound. His fists went limp in Big Daniel's grip.
Big Daniel released his wrists and threw a straight punch at Vin Jin's face. The punch connected clean. Vin Jin's head snapped back. Big Daniel threw another punch. Then another. Each one landed with mechanical precision. Vin Jin's body jerked with each impact but his hardened muscles kept him standing.
Big Daniel grabbed Vin Jin's throat and lifted him off the ground. He slammed Vin Jin into the wall. The concrete cracked. Vin Jin's hands came up and grabbed at Big Daniel's wrist but his dislocated wrists couldn't apply pressure. Big Daniel held him there for several seconds. Vin Jin's vision started to blur.
Big Daniel threw Vin Jin down the corridor. Vin Jin hit the ground and didn't move. His chest rose and fell with shallow breaths. His eyes were closed.
Little Daniel was breathing hard now. His ribs ached. Blood ran from cuts on his face. He looked at Vasco unconscious on the ground, at Jihan not moving, at Vin Jin lying motionless. He looked at Big Daniel standing in the center of the corridor. The inverted eyes showed no emotion. The perfect body showed no signs of fatigue.
Little Daniel moved forward. He threw a straight punch at Big Daniel's face. Big Daniel caught it with his palm. Little Daniel threw his other fist. Big Daniel caught that one too. They stood gripping each other's fists. Little Daniel pushed forward with everything he had. Big Daniel pushed back. Neither gave ground.
Little Daniel pulled one hand free and threw an elbow at Big Daniel's temple. Big Daniel leaned back and it missed. He pulled Little Daniel forward and drove his knee into Little Daniel's stomach. The air rushed out of Little Daniel's lungs. Big Daniel released his hands and grabbed Little Daniel's collar with both hands. He lifted Little Daniel off the ground and threw him into the wall. Little Daniel hit hard. The wall cracked. He dropped to the ground.
Little Daniel pushed himself up slowly. His arms shook. His breathing was ragged. He stood and raised his fists again. Big Daniel walked toward him. The distance between them closed with each step.
Big Daniel reached Little Daniel. He threw a straight punch at Little Daniel's face. Little Daniel tried to slip it but his body was too slow. The punch connected with his jaw. Little Daniel's head snapped to the side. Big Daniel threw another punch. This one hit Little Daniel's ribs. Something cracked. Little Daniel gasped.
Big Daniel grabbed Little Daniel's throat and lifted him off the ground. He slammed Little Daniel into the wall. The concrete cracked further. Little Daniel's hands grabbed at Big Daniel's wrist but couldn't pull it away. Big Daniel held him there for several seconds. Little Daniel's vision started to blur.
Big Daniel released his throat and Little Daniel dropped to the ground. He landed on his hands and knees. Blood dripped from his mouth onto the floor. He tried to stand but his legs wouldn't support him. He fell onto his side.
Big Daniel stood over him. Little Daniel looked up at his other body's inverted eyes. His consciousness was fading. He tried to push himself up one more time but his arms gave out. His vision went dark.
Big Daniel turned and walked down the corridor. His footsteps echoed as he disappeared into the darkness. Behind him, all four fighters lay motionless. The corridor was silent except for the faint sound of their labored breathing.
Then something changed. Little Daniel's eyes opened. But they weren't his eyes anymore. The irises were black. The pupils were white. He pushed himself to his feet slowly. His broken body moved with mechanical precision. The injuries didn't seem to matter. He stood and his inverted eyes stared down the corridor where Big Daniel had gone.
Ultra Instinct had activated.